Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-25
DIR. HATCHER'S VIEWS
EXTRACTS PROM A LETTER HE WROTE
TO BALTIMORE PAPER.
A Sermon in Baltimore on the Cluverius
Csse-The Locked Room at the
City Jail, &c, &C.

those who were left III doubt As 10 the
Justice of his sentence, found my posi-
ton one Of indescribable perplexity and
sadness. j sought honestly 10 probe his
heart and bring out his bloody secret if
il was there. In that unpleasant task |
had the help of some and the constant
counsel Of others. If my methods
were not wise, they were at least ap-
proved by men whose judgment and
wisdom ! have learned to trust in other
things. The prisoners family, while
protesting their belief in his innocence,
supported me thoroughly III my en-
deayor to lead him to an open confes-
sion of any connection that he might
have with the murder
Bnt he was steadfast and inflexlble
in the ayowal Of his innocence. He
stood like a fortress, and neither warn
ing. entrcaty, nor the dread sight ofthe
galloWs, nor the open gateway of eter-
nity. could drive him to a confession.
The original believers in his guilt main
tanned al first that it was the hope of
escape from his doom which sealed his
hps, and confidently predicted that
with the death of his earthly hope
would come the confession of his guilt.
Hope died. but the confession never
came. They were willing to stake their
faith in his guilt upon the inevitable
certainty of his confession at the last;
but when be died proclaiming his IN
nocencet they found in his refusal to
verify their predictions the proof Of
his monstrous heaItlessness and wick
odness.
For my part, | did not knoY. My
mind was poised in doubt, and so my
hps were silent If he died guilty
man, how guilty he was! Ifnot guilty,
then what pity that such bright
young life should have been quenched
In the blackness Of shame Those
who doubt must wait. Perhaps their
waiting will not he long; but possibly
they Will not know until they stand IN
the presence of Him before whom all
secrets shall be revealed.
shrink with unfeigned horror from
the idea of uttering any over-coniident
belief as to the fate Of this young man $
soul. A reporterasked me if | thought
that he was prepared for heaven. That
question / did not dare to answer.
Those who wish may talk III eXultant
rapture over the salvation of men who
die on the gallows, or with savage an
thority AS to their inevitable destrlc-
ton from the presence of God. | eau
90 neither the one nor the other OF
these things. AS best | could ] tod
the young man of the infinite grace Of
God and urged him to hang his hopes
upon the cross. With that, if faithfully
done, my duty ended.
1t is a matter of fact, however, that
the young man met his death with eX-
traOrdinary compOsure, and declared IN
his last moments that his trust was in
Christ as his Saviour, and that he did
not dread the future. lnmy Judgment
that profession of faith must have been
unavailing, if with his dying lips e
refused 10 uncover a mmderers 10
cret.
But if he was, as he said he was, il-
nocent Of the crime, and his faith " IS
vital and penitent, then there was f1r
him glorious reward beyond the con-
fines of that darkness out of which he
was so suddenly thrust
One thing, and that the last in his
life, was surprisingly pathetic. 1t
touched me profoundly and | can neV ?
forget it When ON the scailold | told
him farewell, calmly and without IL
tremor he said "Good-bye, Doctor ;
am very much obliged to you please
try TO comfort them at home, and give
them my love" These were his last
words. | send this letter with hesita-
ton, but it touches subject of I'M
spcakable interest to many under who's
ewes it will come. II is for them tina !
have written. Hrriedly, W. i. Ii.
Let Murderers he Hanged.
The Baltimore 1mcricdH of vest r.
day saws Rev. James Vernon, Jr.,
preached at the Christian church on
Paca street. near Lombard, last night
on capital punishment, taking strong
ground that it was not merely sanction
ed 10y the Bible, but that it was con-
manded, sustaining his position by nu-
merous quotations from the Scriptures
previous to the Jewish legislation, from
the Mosaic law, as well as from the
New Testament. to show that it WIS
recommended by Christ, Paul, John,
and Peter. Mr.. Vernon quoted some
statistics to prove that the crime cou'd
not be prevented by life imprisonmen.
This did not work, III view OF the NJ
merous Jail deliveries, escapes, andabus'
of the pardoning power. OF twenty
nine sentenced in Connecticut to con-
finement for life on the conviction of
murder in the first degree the average
time served was eight and a half years.
One objection to capital punishment Is
that an innocent man might suffer the
death penalty. These sentimentalistS
say that they would rather see every
guilty man set free than one innocent
man hung. had rather see society
hang an innocent man whom they be-
lieve guilty than set free q man whom
they know to be guilty. Our country
has had u great many lessons If she
would only profit by them. Judge
Lynch has been holding great many
sessions lately, and they have increas' d
as the convictions have decreased. Got
will makean inquisition some day upon
this nation for every drop of innocent
blood shed in it, and when He does
make this inquisition He will not forget
those sentimentalists, who have been re-
sropsible for the freeing Of the muir
derCrs.
Governor Lee is entitled to the
gratitude OF all mankind for the fear
less and careful manner in which he had
done his duty. As a citizen of this re-
public | thank him for upholding the
laws of the Commonwealth. As father
having daughter who, If she lives, will
take her position in society, | thank
him for saving to the Gbertines of this
country that no man can win the afiec-
tions Of a young lady, then betray her,
and finally attempt TO hide his guilt by
murder.
The Room StiIi Locked.
Sergeant Smith said yesterday that
he would not open the room recently
occupied by Cmverius until the latter
mart of this week. Mr.. Smith gives
pressure Of business as his reason for